Game apparatus



- March 14, 1944. woonw 2,344,193

GAME APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 (.70 BALLS STRIKES 4 ,ieizfff'wdward,

Inventor J gay/i l A Home a. F. WOODWARD GAME APPARATUS March 14, 1944.

Filed Nov. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .GZerz [Woodward A llo rm y March 14, 1944. s. F. WOODWARD 2,344,193

GAME APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A Marne I11 ventor zwm March 14, 1944. G. F. WOODWARD 2,344,193

GAME APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Im'eniar I flamm- A Mar/E Patented Mar. 14, 1944 GAME APPARATUS Glen F. Woodward, Chicago, Ill., assignor of fortyfive per cent to Peter Koss, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 28, 1941, Serial No. 420,883

1 Claim. (01. 273-90) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in amusement apparatus and more particularly to a machine which can be operated in simulation of the well known game of baseball.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a baseball game apparatus in which the various operations incident to the playing of the machine are vividly comparative with the actions and likenesses of a real game of baseball.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentaryback side 'elevational View of the left field portion of the fence.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the pitching mechanism.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through the rear portion of the apparatus showing the ball return means.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 99 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the pitching mechanism and collection compartment.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View through the pitching mechanism and collec- 5 tion compartment showing the pitching mechanism in set position.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a leg mounting.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the latch belt.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 denotes a substantially square playing board in one corner of which is laid off a base ball diamond 5.

The playing field is surrounded by a fence I of the mesh material, this mesh material extending to an outfield wall 8 where it is secured to said outfield wall. Above the top of the wall 8 rises a mesh guard 9, and as is shown in Figure 3, the left and right field portions of the wall 8 have openings l9 therein communicating with mesh pockets H at the back side thereof into which a batted ball can repose and be seen. The openings ID are designated by certain values on the wall 8, as for instance, a home run, threebase hit, two-base hit, etc.

Sectional uprights l2 serve to support the Wall a in upright position, and a wire stiffening element i3 may be used to hold the mesh guard 9 in the position shown in Figure 3.

The game board '5 just inside of the fence I is formed with a plurality of openings l4, l5, I6; l'l, I8, l9, 2!, 22, 23, 24 and 25. These openings are, for instance, at the left field side of an indicating box 25 having signal lamps 21 for outs. The openings l4 and 25 are repeated at the right field side of the indicating box 26, the lamps 2'! of the indicator 26 being controlled button switches 28.

The openings M to 25, inclusive, are either single or in multiple divided from each other by strips 29 having elongated rails 30 thereon.

The openings M to 25 are situated over a trough 3! which has cross members 32 thereon normally serving to close the openings in the board 5. Each of these troughs 3! is slidable on cradle members 53 depending from the bottom of the board 5 and each has an obliquely disposed arm 34 at its inner end portion which is provided with a pair of laterally disposed fingers 35, 36 to underlie the openings 26, 25.

Obviously, when it is desired to release balls caught in the pockets M to 25, inclusive, the corresponding trough can be shifted to remove the olosures 32, 35, 36, thus permitting the balls to drop either into the trough 3| from where they will roll into a ball collecting compartment 31, or as in the case of the openings 23 and 24, the balls will drop immediately into the compartment 31.

The compartment 31 is at the rear corner of the board, specially underlying the same and having a floor 38. A triangular shaped closure 39 is provided for the extreme corner portion of the collection compartment and this is hingedly secured as at 40 to the floor 38.

The apex portion of the closure 39 is cut off as at H so that when the closure 39 is lowered a slight distance a ball 42 can readily slip down into the operators hands. A knob 43 is at the bottom side of the closure 39 to permit operation thereof.

A stop and cushioning means for the closure 39 consists of a pin M which is disposed upwardly through an opening in the closure 39 and has its upper end threadedly disposed into the playing board 5.

Below the closure 39, the lower end of the pin 44 has a head 45. against which rests a resilient bufier t6. Convoluting this bufler and extending from the head 35 to the underside of the closure 39 is a compression spring 41. Thus it can be seen that the closure 39 cannot be lowered any farther than will permit the ready escape of one ball at a time.

Numeral 48 denotes a catapult or pitching mechanism and this in construction requires a cleat or block 49 attached to the underside of the game board adjacent an opening 58 which overlies the closure 39 of the collection compartment 3? (see Figure An angle member 5! is secured by suitable means 52 to the block 39 and on this angle-mem ber 5| is pivoted a bracket 53 for horizontal movement.

A pair of flanges 54, 54 project from the bracket 53 and to these flanges 5d are rockably secured arcuate-shaped arms 55, 55 attached at their upper ends by suitable means 56 to a block 51, said block having a stem 58 extending from one end thereof and provided with a knob 59. A wire ball holding cradle 60 is provided on the block 51 for holding a ball.

Numeral 6| denotes a driving spring which connects the lower end of the block 57 to the bracket 53.

Obviously a ball can beset upon the cradle 5i] and by pushing downwardly on the knob 59 the spring 6| can be placed under tension.

At this point it is desirous that provision be made for holding the pitching means in this set position and releasing the same by additional manual control means.

In this connection a plate $2 is adjustably mounted on the board 5 and has a latch mechanism thereon involving a slide bolt 63 having a beveled end E54. It can now be seen, that when the block 51 is swung to the set position shown in Figure 11, an ear 65 carried by one of the arms 55 will wipe the beveled end 64 of the latch bolt 63 and pass behind the latch bolt, to the end that the latch bolt will hold the pitching mechanism in set position as clearly shown in Figure 6.

A coiled tension spring 86 has .one end attached to a pin El on one end of the bolt 63 while the other end is attached to a guide pin 68 protruding through a slot in the bolt 63. This serves to hold the beveled end of the bolt 63 in obstructed position with respect to the ear 65.

Numeral 69 denotes a rockable and controlled lever having an end portion engaged into a notch 10 in one edge portion of the bolt 63. Obviously, when the hand lever 89 is operated to release the latch bolt 63, from the car 65, the block 57 will be free to swing back to its position shown in Figure 10 under the force and efiect of the spring 5| with the result that the ball which has been supported by the cradle will be swung through an opening 72 in the back wall 8, it being observed that the pitching mechanism 48 is located at the back end of the board 5, while the batting means, shown in Figures 8 and 9, is located at the lower end, just behind the home plate portion of the diamond B.

It will also be seen in Figure 3, that an opening i3 is provided in the Wall 8 just above the opening l2, and through this the person operating the pitching can view the batting position, this is covered with a net '14. The batting means comprises a post 15 rising from the forward corner of the board 5 and a cap 16' is provided at the top of this post from which a horizontal arm 11 extends and to which is pivotally secured as at 18, a sleeve #9 through which an elongated rod 85 is slidable, this rod having a handle 8] at one end and a paddle or striker plate 8.2 at its opposite end. A cross pin 83 on the rod 85. limits outward movement of therod 89.

Obviously, the. handle 6i can be operated in various directions to maneuver the striker. plate 82 in order to hit a ball catapulted by the pitching. mechanism 48. At the corner portions of the board 5 are depending blocks 85 to which are secured legs 86 by hinges 87. Obviously, these legs can be swung in against the bottom of th playing board. 5 when it is desired to set the apparatus on a table or stored away.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and. scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a game board of the class described, a catapult for throwing a projectile comprising a pair of laterally spaced arms pivotally mounted in the board for vertical swinging movement, a projectile supporting block fixed between said arms and having a projectile backing member thereon, spring means for swinging said arms in one direction, and means for releasably blocking movement of said arms in said direction comprising a latch bar slidably mounted for advance and retraction into and from latching position, respectively, and spring loaded to advance the same, and coacting devices on said bar and one arm, respectively, for camming said bar into retracted position under movement of said arms in the opposite direction.

GLEN F. W OODWARD. 

